Had it not been trampled by feral animals, Phillip Island's landscape would resemble the national park areas of Norfolk Island.

"There, it is deep forest with a canopy up to 60 feet tall. There is lots of top soil and lots of mulch on the ground. It's completely the opposite of what you see right now," Mr Christian said.

Road to recovery

With the days of baiting, shooting and trapping ferals behind them, the team of rangers at Norfolk Island National Park can now focus on re-establishing plants on the island.

Mr Christian has spent the past decade nursing the island back to good health. He's part of a small, dedicated team of park rangers who carry out strategic planting, weeding and soil erosion control activities.

The work is back-breaking at times.

The rangers must brave rough seas to reach the island, and once there they have to lug their own building supplies, chemicals, generator fuel and food on their backs.

They camp together in specially-built ranger huts.

The Norfolk community also have their own fishing hut on the island (pictured).

Mr Christian has dedicated his life to protecting the island's flora and fauna — including a 15-centimetre-long centipede endemic to the island — but there is one plant he pays extra special attention to.

Named after his own mother Margaret, the Achyranthes margaretarum bush is the only one of its kind living in the wild.

Margaret Christian, herself a ranger with the Norfolk Island National Park Service, discovered the plant alongside her friend and dedicated naturalist Honey McCoy.

Each time Mr Christian visits Phillip Island he harvests the plant's precious seeds to propagate.

"There's a sense of responsibility inside me to make sure this species doesn't disappear as well," he said.